A special exhibition at Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae in Jongno-gu District, Seoul, chronicles the past 70 years of trends in traditional Hanbok attire.
A special exhibition currently underway at Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae in Jongno-gu District, Seoul, sheds new light on the history of traditional Hanbok attire and its recent transitions.
Running until Nov. 1, the exhibition is being held in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the nation’s independence and brings to light how the traditional garments have changed in terms of function, fabrics, colors and styles since independence.
Among the exhibits here are Hanbok clothes worn by first President Rhee Syngman (1875-1965) and designs worn by current President Park Geun-hye when she was sworn in and when she attended major events both in Korea and on state visits overseas.
The Hanbok exhibition, held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Korean independence, features a series of Hanbok styles worn by President Park Geun-hye on some of her major events, including on her inauguration day, a dinner held to mark the 60 years of the Korea-U.S. alliance, and a ceremony to mark the completion of the restoration of Sungryemun Gate.
Viewers may learn that in the 1960s, when the nation was poverty-stricken, such fabrics as nylon and inexpensive velvet were used to make Hanbok. The next series of exhibits at Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae will give a glimpse into how the costumes changed in style as they met designers’ creative ideas in and after the 1990s.
The exhibition building is one of the busiest tourist spots in Seoul, crowded mainly with tourists from other countries. Because of the large number of foreign tourists, the curators of the exhibition are also currently displaying Hanbok costumes featured in popular Korean soap operas which are broadcast worldwide, including “Daejanggeum,” “My Love from Another Star,” “The Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Diary of a Night Watchman.”
By Jeon Han, Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writers
hanjeon@korea.kr
Hanbok costumes featured in some of the nation’s popular soap operas, including “Daejanggeum,” “My Love from Another Star,” “The Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Diary of a Night Watchman” are among items on display at the special Hanbok exhibition underway at Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae in Seoul.
The ongoing Hanbok exhibition at Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae showcases a series of upper Hanbok garments, known as jeogori, and their skirts, presenting quite a clear distinction in each style, pattern and color over the years.
